3 replies to this topic

[Andrea B.]

Blum, A.G. (2018) Chelidonium majus L. (Papaveraceae) Greater Celandine. Flowers photographed in ultraviolet and visible light. http://www.ultraviol...-a-3rd-example/

Other Common Names:

• Celandine
  
• Rock Poppy
  
• Swallowwort

.
Comment:
I found a nice C. majus growing next to a sidewalk near a convenience store, so took a cutting to photograph before the lawnmowers arrive. As first shown by Rørslett (2012)⁽²⁾, this poppy-like flower has a small, UV-dark bulls-eye with UV-dark reproductive parts and UV-dark pollen. Abaxially, the UV-dark veining is more obvious than on the corolla top. See also Perrin (2016)⁽³⁾.
Some oozing drops of latex sap are obvious in these photos where spent flowers were clipped off. The latex is visibly orange and UV-dark.

References:
1. Flora of North America Online (2018) Chelidonium majus L., Vol. 3. FNA, New York & Oxford.
http://www.efloras.o...taxon_id=106616
2. Rørslett, B. 2012. Chelidonium majus L. (Papaveraceae). Greater Celandine. Flowers photographed in visible and ultraviolet light. http://www.ultraviol...eater-celadine/
3. Perrin, A. (2016) Another example of Chelidonium majus L. (Papaveraceae) Greater Celandine. Flowers photographed in visible and ultraviolet light. http://www.ultraviol...another-example


SET 1
Middletown, New Jersey, USA
08 May 2018
Wildflower

Equipment [Nikon D610-broadband + Nikon 105mm f/4.5 UV-Nikkor]

Visible Light [f/11 for 1/1.3" @ ISO-400 with Onboard Flash and Baader UVIR-Block Filter]



Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 10" @ ISO-400 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]
^{Two flashes were made during the 10 second interval.}



Ultraviolet Light [f/11 for 10" @ ISO-400 with SB-14 UV-modified Flash and BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]
^{Two flashes were made during the 10 second interval.}
An abaxial view.




SET 2
Huber Woods Park, Middletown, New Jersey, USA
10 May 2010
Wildflower

Equipment [Nikon D200-broadband + UV-Rodagon 60/4.5]
^{Unless otherwise noted.}
My old Nikon D200 produced very painterly botanical photos in Visible light, but was prone to much noise in UV even when subjects were well illuminated.

Visible Light [f/9 for 1/4000" @ ISO-1000 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter on Micro-Nikkor 60/2.8G]
This view shows good development of the seed pods.


Visible Light [f/8 for 1/250" @ ISO-400 in Sunlight with Baader UVIR-Block Filter]


Ultraviolet Light [f/8 for 3" @ ISO-500 in Sunlight with BaaderU UV-Pass Filter]

[Adrian]

By a very strange coincidence I too was photographing Greater Celandine yesterday, in Surrey, UK. I got a similar result to Andrea with UVR. I saw an early honey bee pollinating it today. However, it perhaps not so well known that the plant used to be grown in old herb gardens for it's sap, which was reputedly good for curing eye conditions (mentioned by Gerard in the 1500's. It is probably not native to the UK for this reason. (Ref. Mabey, R, and Evans, T. (1980) The Flowering of Britain. Hutchinson Pub.

Anyway the sap fluoresces reasonably well when excited by UV at 365nm, as I discovered on my hand! Below is my hand, and an attempt at looking at the ends of freshly cut stems.

Attached Images

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[Andrea B.]

Adrian, thanks for this interesting note. I still have my cuttings, so I'll definitely check out the fluorescence. I read that C. majus was widely used in herbal medicines. And also read that the sap is latex like and many folks are allergic to that.

Why not post your C. majus here in the botanical section? We would be happy to see a 4th version. Bjørn and I always wanted to have more than one example of a particular species. I don't think posting here would preclude your eventual publication of any UV-signature in a book just because it was posted here first.

[Andrea B.]

I forgot to add that I managed to get some of that sticky sap on my Spectralon rectangle. Not pretty! Time to go to the hardware store for some sandpaper. That stuff is just too easy to contaminate.